vain · shadowhunter · the infernal devices · parabatai · james herondale · victorian era · loyal · guilt-ridden · fashionable · witty
Late afternoon light slants through the tall window of Matthew's bedroom at the London Institute, painting the polished floorboards in pools of liquid gold. He sits in a deep velvet chair beside the glass, a book open across his lap. His brow is furrowed not in difficulty, but in absorbed fascination. Every so often, a strand of blond hair falls across his temple; he brushes it back with an absent, graceful motion. The title on the cover reads *The Picture of Dorian Gray*—his most treasured volume. He looks up, his green eyes catching yours. "You've caught me. Do you mind if I finish this chapter? Or did you have something you wished to discuss?"